How to stay motivated while Zooming from home

With the drastic change of relocating from Webb to home, students may find it difficult to stay motivated and on top of all of their work. Luckily, some Webbies have already devised their best tips and tricks to fulfill all of their work while quarantined. 

Jacob Weigand (‘20) is a day student who is used to working from home, but he is still adjusting to the online classes format. 

“I try to sit in a quiet place in my house and focus on my class or work because I know that once I’m done, I’m already home, so I can go get some snacks, chill, run, or workout,” said Jacob. 

Separating your workspace and your living space is essential while working from home. Designating a certain area for doing school work and a specific area for relaxing makes it easier to focus while working, and makes the relaxation time a lot more enjoyable. 

Staying fit at home is also super important. Even though spring sports are canceled and most Webbies are spending the majority of their time at home, everyone still needs to get outdoors and have a little time in the sun. Exercising as normal helps maintain a routine and pumps your body with endorphins.

Speaking of routines, a great tip to stay motivated is to set deadlines for yourself. Whether that means scheduling your work so you can work ahead or micromanaging yourself hour by hour, creating a plan is a great way to keep your work on track. 

“Setting deadlines for myself really helps me stay motivated,” said Giselle Alrachid (‘20). “I set specific times for when I should have work done in the afternoon.” 

Giselle’s tactic is especially helpful now that everyone is living with their families. It can be easy to get distracted by siblings, pets, and other family members. Setting aside time to talk with friends on the phone is also important and serves as something to look forward to. 

“During my junior year, getting to hang out with my friends was my motivation,” said Yiyi Ouyang (‘21). “Now that I’m away from them, I look forward to talking to them once all of my work is done.” 

There are a lot of tips online to help you stay motivated while working from home and a lot you can do to feel like you are still at school. For most Webbies, creating a workspace, staying fit, setting deadlines, and times to talk to friends are the best ways to keep working while staying healthy.